Middlebury Area (8)
3 Squares Café
141 Main St., Vergennes, 802-877-2772
Chef-owner Matt Birong melds international flavors with local ingredients in his “creative-casual” food. Look for eggs Benedict specials on Sunday and bean-to-bar chocolate with organic cacao sourced directly from the Dominican Republic.
Bar Antidote
35 C Green St., Vergennes, 802-877-2555
Chef-owner Ian Huizenga grew up on a Monkton farm and sources super-local ingredients for his speakeasy’s “edible cures” and “potent potables.” Don’t miss sister biz Hired Hand Brewing Co., just upstairs.
Fire & Ice Restaurant
26 Seymour St., Middlebury, 802-388-7166
Adults dig the steakhouse’s historic décor and huge salad bar. Kids love the room with books and movies. And where else can you pour yourself a glass of local chocolate milk on draft?
Morgan’s Tavern at the Middlebury Inn
14 Court Sq., Middlebury, 802-388-4961
Chef John Hessler reinvents New England cuisine in dishes such as seared sea scallops with roasted fingerling potatoes, bacon lardon, Brussels sprouts and maple brown butter.
Park Squeeze
161 Main St., Vergennes, 802-877-9962
The hip neighborhood joint has exposed brick walls, metal sculptures, beet flatbreads and tangy barbecue ribs.
Starry Night Café
5371 Route 7, Ferrisburgh, 802-877-6316
The handcrafted décor is as distinctive as chef Josh Krechel’s international locavore cuisine. Sit in the octagonal dining room, fireside porch or on the stone patio in summer.
The Arcadian
7 Bakery Lane, Middlebury, 802-989-7026
Chef Matt Corrente forms modern Italian meals from local, seasonal ingredients by the Otter Creek. Sip a cocktail infused with foraged botanicals, then tuck into a bowl of Bolognese. By day, this space is home to Caroline Corrente’s Haymaker Bun Company.
Tourterelle
3629 Ethan Allen Highway, New Haven, 802-453-6309
Classic French country cuisine meets Vermont ingredients in a seasonally driven menu. Try the signature steak frites or the red-curry bouillabaisse with saffron aioli.
